DE3247742A1 - ELECTRONIC STRIKE SYNTHESISER - Google Patents

Description

"Electronic SchlaKsynthesizer"

The invention "relates to music synthesizers and esp. to an electronic music synthesizer that is able to synthesize the tones of percussion instruments.

Over the years, many electronic musical instruments have been developed that produce sounds exclusively on electronic Generate paths. These devices, which are used as music synthesizers "are referred to, generate electronic signals that are so shaped and mixed together v / ground that different species from waveforms generated by conventional loudspeakers can be amplified and played to produce different types of tones.

Many of these "popular music synthesizers use a keyboard" to input the musical notes to be synthesized. So that the synthesizer has predetermined rhythm laws a variety of controls may be provided. In general, the musical notes that produce the using the keyboard, tones which a keyboard-controlled musical instrument such as a piano or a Simulate organ. On the other hand, the predetermined rhythmic laws can be designed in such a way that tones are generated, < simulate percussion instruments, e.g. drums. The measure of time in synthesized music is usually introduced by one of the predetermined rhythm regularities is played as background music, and that the speed of the rhythm regularity is set using a timing control. The user then plays the keyboard notes in time in accordance with the pre-arranged rhythm timing. The musical Grades and laws of yybhmus are common all played at the same amplitude which is adjusted using a volume control. A typical music synthesizer of the type described above is the subject of TJS patent 4,226,155 by the applicant.

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In recent years music synthesizers have been developed capable of recording the musical notes played. The user can then transfer the recorded notes into Play the form of a melody. To record a new melody », it is usually necessary to delete the pre-recorded melody

Because of the way percussion instruments (e.g. drums and zymba-ions) many well-known music synthesizers cannot accurately synthesize such instruments. For example, plays a musician beat rhythms with a beat at a certain point in time and then interweaves various of these rhythms, so that musical sentences emerge. The beat of one of these rhythms is commonly used to indicate the timing of the to set up successive Bhthmen. The musician can too change the amplitude of each percussion beat. the The amplitude of each beat is usually determined by the Controlled the size of the force that is used to announce the instrument surface. The ability to adjust the amplitude of a

Changing each beat enables the musician to change the Improve the sound quality of the music.

In general, known synthesizers which are able to to record musical notes, unable to percussion rhythms to develop in the same way as generated using a conventional percussion instrument or percussion instrument will. This is because the known synthesizers do not have a surface that is struck in the same manner as a percussion instrument to create a percussion beat to achieve. Many known synthesizers are only able to record one rhythm at a time, so they cannot Can be used to intersperse a variety of previously played rhythms with newly played rhythms. Also have known synthesizers do not have the ability to measure the amplitude of individual To vary percussion beats.

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The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a new and improved electronic percussion synthesizer "or beat synthesizer and generate percussion beats in the same manner as obtained using a conventional percussion instrument, as well as the To create a way to record these beats. Furthermore, the present invention is intended to create the possibility to save multiple percussion rhythms so that these Rhythms can be interspersed with each other. Furthermore, the invention is intended to achieve a measure of time from one leg of percussion beats and this time measure to build up the time measure of subsequent percussion synthesizers use.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in an electronic percussion synthesizer having a plurality of pressure transducers each of which is mounted within a drum housing having a stop surface designed to that it represents the stop surface of a Perloission instrument Each transducer responds to an externally applied impact force to generate an analog Troxnmel signal, the analog Has drum pulses, each of which represents a beat of the corresponding musical instrument. The amplitude of each Impulse is proportional to the size of the impact force.

The individual drum housings share a common synthesizer housing mounted so that each transducer is mechanically isolated from the other Wandlei so that the one applied to a transducer Force does not cause any of the other transducers to generate an impulse testifies.

There are toner diffraction circuits that respond to the analog Address pulses to generate tones that have the beat of the corresponding musical instrument. The amplitude.des generated tone is proportional to the amplitude of the corresponding analog pulse.

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The synthesizer of the present invention further includes a Memory and playback circuit for digitally storing a Series of impulses on, - where each impulse represents a percussion beat in order to play back the stored impulses, and for additional impulses in a mutually-· ■ urgent way to save. The memory and playback circuit comprises a digital memory with sequentially addressable Memory locations, a timing control circuit to achieve a clock speed with which the memory locations are addressed, and latching ^ circuits that act on the corresponding address analog drum signals to lock into a first State depending on the occurrence of an analog Drum pulse.

A computer circuit, responsive to the timing control circuit and the interlock circuit, is used for interrogation and Resetting the interlocking. with the clock speed that is determined by the timing control circuit »The computer circuit sequentially addresses the memory locations in a Register track with the same depth speed. The computer circuit generates a clock beat signal in the form of a clock beat pulse when the interlock when interrogating the first Assumes state, and saves the clock beat pulse in the addressed Storage location, if this location does not already contain the beat pulse «

The tone generation circuitry responds to the computer circuitry and generates a tone that corresponds to the beat of the corresponding Musical instrument if the addressed memory location contains the beat pulse.

Further refinements of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

The invention is explained below in conjunction with the drawing an exemplary embodiment explained. Ss shows:

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1 is a perspective view of an electronic kiss synthesizer according to the invention,

fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of one of the drums of the synthesizer;

3 is a sectional view of the synthesizer along the section line 3-3 cLer Fig. 1, from which it can be seen how the drum according to Fig. 2 with the synthesizer housing "is attached,

Fig. 4 is an overall circuit diagram of the electronic part of the synthesizer according to Fig. 1,

Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the electrical connections

ar between the drum of Fig. 2 and the signal processor

as well as the central processing unit of the synthesizer according to Fig. 1 shows

Fig. 6 is a block diagram of portions of the signal processing and waveform shaping circuits of the synthesizer of Fig. 1; which are used to generate the eerkusion waveforms, and

Figures 7-10 are flow charts showing the program and operation represent the preferred embodiment of the synthesizer of the present invention.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an electronic Percussion synthesizer 10 according to the invention. The synthesizer 10 has a housing 12 with a top portion 14 and 14 a lower section 16. A keyboard 18 is attached to the housing 12 and has 19 keys 20-38 * There are four Drums 40, 4-2, 4-4- and 4-6 are provided through openings in the ο upper section 14 · of the housing 12 are fastened through. The drum 40 is referred to as a first tam-tam drum (Hindu drum), the drum 4-2 as a cymbal, the drum 4-4 as Snarling drum and drum 46 as a second tam-tam drum with a lower pitch than the first tam-drum, Das

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Hit the surface of one of the drums. 40 - 46 causes * that the synthesizer 10 immediately produces a sound that one - represents the beat of the designated percussion instrument. A feature of the synthesizer 10 is that the higher the amplitude of the tones generated by the synthesizer 10, «The harder the drums 40 - 46 are beaten. The drums 40 -46 can be done by hand or with traditional drum beaters be recorded, and can be recorded alone or in conjunction with the keys 20 - 33 of the keyboard 18 to a wide To generate a range of beats or percussion tones «■

The synthesizer 10 generates tones by forming two channels of electrical signals representative of those tones are. These signals are fed to an electrical connector (not shown) which is attached to the housing 12. The user can use stereo headphones or a stereo sound system connect to this plug in order to receive audible signals. A volume control 58 is used to adjust the amplitude of the signals delivered to the connector «, a tuning control (not shown) is used to adjust the pitch of the first tam-tam drum, a second connector (not shown) is intended to connect foot pedals that can be used to perform various functions of the synthesizer 10 control.

The electronic circuitry within the synthesizer 10 is powered by 3 batteries that are inserted in a battery box (not shown) inside the housing 12 »Five visual indicators in the form of light emitting diodes (LED) 48, 50, 52, 54 and 56 are in the top section 14 of the housing intended. One of the four ISD 48 - 54 is in the vicinity of the corresponding drums 40-46 arranged and lights up when the synthesizer 10 generates a beat that is appropriate for the sound of the corresponding drum is representative. The function of the * fifth and centrally located BED 56 is shown below described »■

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The action of each key 20-38 of the keyboard 18 is below ". The buttons 20-31 are used to the synthesizer 10 generates beat laws which simulate the tones of the four percussion instruments which represented by the four drums 40-46. The three Keys 20-22 are grouped in an area of the keyboard 18 labeled "Tam-Tam 1", the three keys 23-25 in an area labeled "Zymbalon and memory", the three buttons 26-28 in an area labeled "Schnarr" is, and the three buttons 29-31 in an area labeled "Tam-Tam 2".

Each of the three keys 20, 21 and 22 is used to initiate rhythm tones of the first tam-tam drum. The pressing the Tast-.e 20 conducts a series of evenly offset drum beats at low speed one; pressing button 21 directs medium speed, and pressing button 22 a high speed. The selected series of beats is generated as long as the corresponding key is pressed is. A single drum beat can be initiated by quickly tapping one of the buttons, e.g. button 20. the Keys 20, 21 and 22 can also be used in conjunction with one another to cause synthesizer 10 to have a multiple number generated by other predetermined rhythmic patterns. For example, pressing the keys 20 at the same time leads and 21 a "rock" rhythm, the simultaneous striking of the keys 21 and 22 a "Walζer" rhythm, the simultaneous at striking the keys 20 and 22 an "offbeat" rhythm, and pressing all three keys 20, 21 and 22 at the same time results in a "mixed" rhythm.

The three keys 23, 24 and 25 in the area labeled "Zymbalon" perform the same functions as the corresponding keys 20) 21 and 22 described above, with the exception that the tones generated are those of the zymbalon. In the same way, the keys 26, 2? and 28 in the one with "Schnarren ¹ *

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"designated area the same functions as the loads 20, 21 and 22, with the exception that the sounds produced are those of a snarling drum. Furthermore, the keys 29, JO and 51 in the area labeled "Tam-Tam 2" are the same Functions like buttons 20, 21 and 22, with the exception that the sounds produced are those of the second tam-tam drum *

The key 38 of the keyboard 18 is labeled "Akze & t" · Das Pressing the key 58 changes the tone of the zymbalons from that of an "open zymbalons" to that of a closed zymbalons » The release of the key 38 returns the tone to the tone of an open zymbalone. With the synthesizer 10, a Foot pedal connected to allow the user to accent the zymbalone can control by foot actuation, which corresponds to the way in which the accent of a conventional "hi hat" zymbalons is controlled will.

The keys 35 _} 36 and 37 & @ r keyboard 18 are used to control the timing of the musical notes generated by the synthesizer. The button 35 is labeled "slower", the button 36 ffiit "faster" and the button 37 is labeled "bass drum". The key . 37 is used _? to initiate a continuous series of equally spaced bass drum beats. The speed of the bass drum take is referred to as the measure of time and is used to control the speed of the beats and rhythmic rides introduced by keys 20-31. For example, the slow series of drum beats introduced by keys 20, 23, 26 and 29 - in the manner described above, is timed so that the slow series of beats strike at a rate of two measures for each of the bass drum beats is produced. Similarly, the middle series of drum beats introduced by keys 21, 24, 27 and 30 are each regulated at a rate of four beats for each of the bass drum beats; the rapid series introduced by keys 22, 25, 28 and 31 is regulated at a rate of eight beats for each of the bass drum beats. The setting accordingly represents

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the timing of the bass drum automatically, the timing of all Beat laws introduced by the keys 20 - Jl be, a. The measure of time is also used to establish the speed at which the synthesizer will produce musical notes records and reproduces as detailed below. .

The timing of the bass drum can be set in different ways or controlled. Striking the key 37 initiates the bass drum beat tone and controls the at the beginning Speed of the bass drum beat to about 100 beats per minute. This can reduce this speed or increased, that the key 35 or the key 36 is pressed will. As long as the button 36 is pressed, the speed increases of the bass drum beats continuously up to a maximum of 300 beats per minute too. When the speed has reached the desired speed, releasing the button will cause the Key 36 that the synthesizer stores and maintains this speed. Similarly, button 35 can be used to reduce the speed to a lower amount of time. Every time the bass drum beat is generated, lights the LED 56 turns on and can be used as a visual metronome.

The user can set the synthesizer timing in other ways as follows. Musicians like to have a measure of time for theirs Define music by playing a series of beats Touch hand or foot. The synthesizer 10 has provisions that allow the user to record a series of bass drum beats using buttons 35 and 36 at the same time. The circuit within the synthesizer 10 is used to calculate the speed of the tapped beats and to automatically Setting and maintaining the bass drum timing on the. Speed of occurrence of the last two bars tapped propose used. With the synthesizer 10 can also be a foot pedal be connected, the function of which allows the user to use the manual function of simultaneously pressing the buttons 35 "and 36

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to decorate by dupli that the foot to tap the foot switch is used. In this way, the user can choose a time measure with their foot that will be used automatically to measure the time measure of the Synthesizer 10 set.

The bass drum tone can be switched off by pressing the button 37 is struck again. However, although the sound cannot be heard, the synthesizer 10 continues to what was last determined Time measure to be used to perform the prescribed synthesizer functions to control.

The synthesizer 10 has a digital microprocessor circuit which will be explained in detail below. One of the functions of this circuit is to generate equally spaced clock pulses at a clock rate that is synchronized with the time measure. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the clock is chosen so that it is 15 times higher than the measure of time. Correspondingly, 16 clock pulses intermittent calls are generated for successive beats of the bass drum. The clock pulses are used to time when the synthesizer 10 will generate a musical tone in response to the actuation of the buttons 20-31. In contrast to beating the drums MO - 4-6, which causes the synthesizer 10 to immediately generate a corresponding musical beat in response to an analog drum signal that is formed when the drum is struck, striking the keys 20 - 31 causes the synthesizer 10 generates a musical tone only when a clock pulse occurs. For example, if a key 20-31 is pressed before a pulse is generated, the synthesizer 10 waits until the next clock pulse before forming the appropriate tone. In this way, all tones which are formed as a function of the actuation of the keys 20-3I are automatically synchronized to the timing of the bass drum.

The synthesizer 10 generates percussion rhythms as a function of the actuation of the buttons 20-3I in the following way. If everyone Clock pulse is generated, determines the circuit in the synthesizer 10,

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Qb one of the keys 20-31 has been pressed, or whether one of the Drums 4-0 - 4-6 has been struck. If any of these conditions has occurred, the circuit generates a corresponding signal in the form of digital pulses. When the signal in response to the actuation of the buttons 20 - 31 has been generated, this Signal (hereinafter referred to as the rhythm signal) a series of rhythm impulses that are used to generate the corresponding musical rhythm can be used. When the signal generated in response to the beating of drums 4-0 -4-6 (the hereinafter referred to as the digital drum signal) is formed, this signal comprises a single digital drum pulse and no sound is produced. This is because of the synthesizer 10 in response to the beating of the drums 4-0 - 4-6 generated tones directly by the analog Drum pulses are initiated, which are generated when a drum 4-0 -46 is hit at a time. The digital drum signal however, it is used when the synthesizer 10 performs the recording function in the manner described below.

The synthesizer 10 thus generates musical tones in dependence on both from an analog drum pulse, which is generated by beating drums 4-0 - 4-6, as well as depending on a rhythm signal, which is initiated according to the actuation of buttons 20 - 31 will. The analog drum pulses are generated when the drums 4-0 - 4-6 are struck, and the rhythm and digital ones Drum pulses are generated synchronously with the clock pulses.

In Fig. 1, the other keys 32, 33 and 3 ^ - the keyboard with "Stop", "Record" and "Playback". The buttons 32, 33 and 3 ^ - are used to control recording and playback functions of the synthesizer 10 is used. The key 33 acts in in such a way that it initiates the storage of signals which di < represent various musical notes produced by synthesizer 10; the button 34- is used to play back the Musil notes, and key 32 is used to enter both the Stop the recording and playback functions.

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The recording function of the synthesizer 10 is accomplished by storage executed by digital signals in a semiconductor memory. Represent the digital signals stored in this way the actuation of the various buttons 22 - 31 and 38, which is used for the beginning of the musical tones generated by the synthesizer. The synthesizer's recording function is. also able to store digital signals representing each beat of drums 4-0 - 46.

ÜSJer synthesizer 10 "has three separate memories" which are used for Storage of the digital signals can be used which represent the musical notes to be generated. The buttons 23, 24 and 25 are used to select which of the three memories for the Recording and playback are to be used. The beginning the recording function as well as the selection of the memory to be used for recording are achieved by simultaneously the record button 33 and either the button 23 »24 or 25 depending on whether the first, second or third memory is to be used for recording. Similarly, the Playback button is pressed simultaneously with one of the buttons 23, 24 or 25 to activate both the Playback function as well as to select which of the three memories for the Playback should be used. The IiEDs 52, 54 and 56 will be selectively lit up during the memory selection process, so that the user is shown which of the three memories is selected. The XtED 52 represents the first memory, the LED 56 the second memory and the LED 54 the third Storage"

The recording function of the synthesizer 10 enables the user to record multiple rhythm patterns in a manner that which makes it possible that the individual laws can be interspersed with one another. This is done in the following way achieved. Each of the memories used for recording has a multiplicity of sequentially addressable memory locations. The circuitry within the synthesizer 10 is designed as follows that sequentially the storage locations of the memory in a

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Register track can be addressed. The circuit thus addresses sequentially the memory locations from the first memory location to the last memory location and returns to the first memory location, to repeat the process. This looping process continues "until the recording function is activated by pressing the Stop button 32 "has ended.

The speed at which the memory locations are sequentially addressed is the clock speed described above. Thus, 16 memory locations are sequentially used during the period between successive bass drum beats addressed. For every A total of 256 storage locations are provided for in the storage loop. Accordingly, the loop is set into circulation after every 16 beats of the bass drum. It has been found that this Storage loop length is sufficient to store a musical phrase that is typical of the phrases that are being used are created by percussion instruments. Each of the three The memory available for recording is sufficient many memory locations to store signals representing the rhythms of each of the four percussion instruments as well as storing signals indicating the presses of the accent key 38 represent.

When the recording function is initiated as described above has been, the respective selected memory is deleted in that all stored in each of the memory locations Data will be deleted. Starting with the first memory location, the circuit sequentially addresses each memory location as a function of the clock pulses generated at the clock speed.

Since each memory location is addressed, the circuit determines whether either a digital drum pulse or a rhythm pulse has been generated. As described above, these become impulse generated synchronously with the clock pulses. If any of these impulses has been generated, a digital pulse (hereinafter referred to as a clock beat pulse) is stored in the memory location just addressed

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saved, but only if this space is not already saved contains a beat pulse.

Since all storage locations in the memory were deleted at the beginning, will be the first time the circuit & en memory passes, no stored beat pulses encountered * Accordingly, all beat pulses that are generated are saved « During the recording process, the synthesizer continues to generate musical tones depending on the analog drum and To generate rhythm impulses.

When the circuit makes the first pass through the. Storage completed has, the beat pulses stored therein represent the individual percussion beats that by the user using drums 40-46 and Keys 20-5.1 have been generated. For subsequent loops automatically generates (or plays) by the memory the tones represented by the stored beat pulses, each tone being generated if each. Addressed storage space is. Since each memory location is set with the cycle speed is addressed, the tones are played synchronously with the time interval specified by the buttons 35 and 36.

At the same time, as the synthesizer sounds in response to the controlled beat pulses generated, it also goes on to a new tone in response to the continue beating the drums 40 - 46 and pressing the buttons 20 - ^to generate 31st In addition, the synthesizer 10 continues to store the beat pulses representing these new tones.

As stated above, beat pulses can only be stored in memory locations are stored, the previously the beat pulses not included. Therefore, the synthesizer 10 only stores newly created beat pulses in the memory locations that are still are not occupied. This has - the purpose that the musical Beats of a rhythm are interspersed with the musical beats of preceding rhythms. Every time the * the synthesizer 10

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Synthesizer 10 runs through the memory locations, it plays the previously recorded rhythms and sets the recording new rhythms that have beats that fall between the beats of the previous rhythms. The user can thus continue playing and recording additional rhythms "until all memory locations in memory with Beat pulses are filled. Then the user can record additional rhythms by listening to another of the selects three memories intended for recording.

When all the desired rhythms have been stored, the recording process can be stopped by pressing the stop button 32 will. Pressing the playback button 34 in conjunction with one of the memory selection buttons 23-25 causes the synthesizer Plays the recorded rhythms. The user can now by beating the drums 4-0-46 or pressing the buttons 20-3-with play the stored rhythms. However, none of these new rhythms are recorded when the synthesizer performs the playback function.

The playback function causes the synthesizer 10 to repeatedly cycle through and repeat the memory locations of the selected memory generates the musical beats represented by each of the stored beat pulses. The speed The speed with which the memory locations are addressed is the clock speed. The user can change the time with which the rhythms are played by changing the speed of the bass drum (timpani) beats using buttons 35 and 36 can be changed as described above. Thus, the rhythms can be played with a timing that differs from the Depends on the time with which they were recorded.

To make it easier for the user to determine when to open the synthesizer has completed a memory loop, all IÜDs 48 - 56 simultaneously lit up each time the first memory location in the loop is addressed. LEDs 48 ~ 56 are lit in this way in both the playback and the

Aufseichmmgsbetrieb brought to light up and enable de <L user, dea start of a rhythm with the beginning of the loop to harmonize in time.

The synthesizer 10 is also able to store signals the actuation of the accent key 38 (or the actuation, des Foot pedal used to control the accent). In the recording mode, the synthesizer 10 acts to generate a signal (hereinafter referred to as an accent signal), that has accent impulses. An AIv ζ en timpuls is synchronized with generates a clock pulse when it is specified that the accent key 38 is printed. The accent pulse becomes ill. a predetermined Storage loop stored in the same way as the storage of the clock pulse pulse. Thus the accent pulse is stored in the memory location which is currently being addressed if this storage space does not already contain an accent pulse.

As stated above, - the accent feature works in the way that the tone of the cymbal tones produced by beating the drum 42 or by pressing the keys 23-25 is changed will. The user can use the synthesizer's recording function Use 10 to store a series of accent pulses by activating the recording function and pressing button 38 (or the foot pedal) is pressed at the times you want. That Pressing the button 33 itself does not produce a sound, but does that the axent pulses are recorded ..

The user can then play back the recorded accent pulses. If the user then initiates a zymbalon tone, for example by beating drum 42, and if this ¹ tone is introduced simultaneously with one of the accent pulses to be played, the cymbalon tone produced is changed to include the accent.

The construction of the drums 40-46 will be discussed below with FIGS. 2 and 3 described. Fig. 2 shows a period Explusive representation of the drum 40, and FIG. 3 a

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Sectional view showing the Troianiel 40 attached to the housing 12 shows. The drum 40 has a piezoelectric ceramic disc 60 that is contained within a hollow, cylindrical housing is attached, which has an upper portion 62 and a lower portion 64. A. cylindrical cavity 66 is in the center of the lower portion 64 provided to center the disc 60, and a cavity 68 is within the upper section provided to support one end of a resilient spacer 70. Both the upper section 62 and the lower section 64 have four offset from one another in the circumferential direction> 3 Approaches 72 with openings therein. Lines 74 are provided, each one end with one of the connections of the ceramic disk CO is connected. The conductors? 4 are used through the lower section 64; a slot provided therein 7S led. The upper portion 62, which contains the spacer 70, is assembled and takes over the lower section 64 the disk 60 on. The section 62 is held on the lower section 04 by an edge formed on the section 64, the comes into firm engagement with the inner wall of section 62. Section 62 is oriented with respect to section 64 so that that the lugs 72 on the corresponding Abseimenter 62 and 64 are aligned. A hollow, resilient one Eye ring 60 is installed through the opening in each set of aligned tabs 7'2 and is protruded therein Flanges S1 held that snap over each of the lugs 72. A thin buffer 82 made of an elastically resilient material is by adhesive bonding; with the outer surface of the upper Section 62 attached.

The resulting arrangement of the drum 40 is shown in FIG. When the upper section 62 and the lower section 54 together are attached, the resilient spacer 70 extends between the inner wall of the portion 62 and the surface the ceramic disc 60. The spacer 70 is dimensioned so that it exerts a slight pressure on the disc 60, that supports positioning. . .

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The buffer 82 represents the striking surface of the drum 40. When the surface 82 is struck (for example with a drum lock), part of the striking force is transmitted to the disc 60 via the spacer 70. The disk 60 acts as a pressure transducer and generates an output voltage on the conductors 74 in a manner known per se. This voltage has an amplitude proportional to the magnitude of the force acting on disk 60 and is used to generate the aforementioned analog pulse.

The resilient spacer 70 in conjunction with the upper portion 62 and the buffer 82 acts so that a part the impact force is absorbed to avoid damaging the ceramic To prevent disc 60 by exerting too much force. The force exerted on the disk 60 by the buffer S2 is to a certain extent a function of the point at which the force acts on the surface 8? is exercised. For example, if the If surface S2 is struck directly in the middle, a higher force is generated transferred to the disc 60 as if the surface 32 is struck in an area in the ITäiie of the outer periphery. Consequently is the amplitude of the output voltage produced by disk 60 is a function of both the amount of force applied to the surface 82 and the location which the force is exerted on the surface 82.

The drums 42, 44 and 46 of Fig. 1 are all constructed so that its construction is identical to that of the drum 40. Because all four drums 40, 42, 44 and 46 ax the individual housing 12, it is essential that the drums 40, 42, 44 and 46 are mechanically isolated from one another. This isolation is necessary to prevent the force acting on one of the drums from being transmitted to the other drums. Such a cross coupling can cause the other drums to generate undesirable output signal voltages, which in turn cause the synthesizer 10 unwanted musical « Beats generated. ·

^ iC * i ' ^Aei L "k> ^s " ^r -' ^Le cl- ie drum 4-0 with; the housing 12 is attached so that it is never mechanically isolated as much as is necessary to prevent coupling with the other drums. The upper section 14- of the housing 12 has an opening 84- through which the upper section 62 of the drum extends, lugs SG extending from the inner surface of the upper section 1-4-. Hollow, cylindrical projections 38 extend from the. Approaches 86 through the openings in the hollow dark circles SO, which are attached to the drum 40. The lower end of the projection 33 is in contact; with the upper end of a hollow lug 90 * which protrudes from the inner surface of the lower section Ic of the housing 12. Self-tapping screws 9 * 2 are used to secure the hollow boss ^ C to the hollow projection 38. These screws 92 hold the upper and lower sections 14- and IG together and lay the drum 4-0 within the housing 12. The length of the projection 83 is chosen so that the eye ring 80 between the lugs 36 and 90 is slightly compressed. The projections 08, in conjunction with the eye rings 80, cause the drum 4- (within the opening 84- to be centered.

From the above description it follows that the only mechanical connection between the drum 4-0 and the housing 12 is via the very flexible dark circles $ 0. The outer rings 80 act in such a way that they mechanically isolate the drum 4-0 from the housing 12 in such a way that undesired mechanical coupling with the housing 12 and with the other drums is avoided . The other three Tr ο ram ein 4-2, 4-4- and -'-'- 6 are attached to the housing 12 in the same V / eise as the drum 4-0. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sections 14-, IG, s ^: 2 and 6 ¹ '- are made of ABS plastic, the dark circles 80 are made of neoprene., The spacer? 0 is made of iieoprene foam and. the FnTfer 32 made of vinyl. The disk «0 has a diameter of about 2? mm and is preferably a. Piezo-ceramic speaker element manufactured by Shigoto Corp., JSew "York.

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Pig. Figure 4 shows an overall block diagram of the electronic part of the percussion synthesizer 10 according to the present invention. The synthesizer 10 includes a central processing device (CPU) 100, the input signals from the keyboard 18, from the I foot pedals 102, from a signal processing device 104 and from a handheld memory (RAM) 106. ' The central processing device 100 outputs as a function of these input signals Output signals to the signal processing device 104 ·, on the sandom memory 106 and to the! ^ displays 48-56.

The central processing device 100 is preferably a microprocessor5, e.g. of the type 64-05 from Sanyo Corporation * Such microprocessor circuits are known and all have input, output, logic and control circuits of a special digital computer in miniature form. ,. In general, sol-. Before circuits have a read-only memory (ROM). The ROM memory owns bonds created by masking processes during manufacture the basic circuitry of the digital computer itself can be designed to achieve a fully wired circuit which includes the program for controlling the operation of the microprocessor.

The random memory 106 is preferably a Type 2114 from the company National Semiconductor, and is used to store the various information and program bits during operation of the Synthesizer 10 uses * The signal processing device 104- takes input signals from each of the drums. 4-0, 4-2, 44- and 46 and from the central processing device 100. The signals from drums 40-46 are those transmitted by the piezoelectric ceramic disks, e.g., disk 60 in FIG Drum 40, are generated. The signal processing device 104 is in communication with wave phone circuits 108 She gives Output signals to the input connections of a stereo amplifier UO.

The signal processing device 104 in connection with the Wave shaping circuitry 108 is used to take the signals from the drums 40, 42, 44 and 46 and from the processing device 100 into waveforms that represent the tones of the various percussion instruments. The signal processing device 104 serves to process the signals from the drums 40, 42, 44 and 46 into a suitable form for storage by the central processing device 100.

The signal processing device 104 is preferably one special integrated circuit with the necessary transistor, diode and bias circuits for implementation the signal processing functions described below will. Such an integrated circuit can, for example, use an integrated circuit that can be formed by means of a mask Circuit, e.g. the monochip from Interdesign Corporation. This type of circuit can be made using suitable nose processes are designed so that the required signal processing functions of the synthesizer 10 are performed will. The melody controller 112 is with the signal processing device 104 and is used to set the melody of the first tam-tam drum over a range of five octaves *

The stereo amplifier 110 outputs output signals of the left and right channels to connectors 114 and 116 in response to the signals generated by the processing device 104th The volume control 58 controls the amplitude of these output signals which are capable of driving headphones or a stereophonic sound system.

A power supply 118 converts the voltage from a battery 120 to the appropriate voltages for operating the various Circuits of the synthesizer 10 um.

Analog signal generation ;

Fig. 5 shows a block diagram showing the connections between the piezoelectric disc 60 of the drum 40 and the signal processing device 104 and the central processing device 100. The operation of the circuit of FIG Hitting the drum is as follows. Striking the drum 40 causes the disc 60 to have a voltage having a waveform 122 generated. This voltage is in the form of a pulse with a width of approximately one ampiitude proportional to the impact force. The polarity of the pulse can be positive or negative, depending on the distribution of the impact force in relation to the surface of the ceramic disk 60.

The pulse generated by the disk 60 is transmitted through the conductors 74

(overvoltage block)

given to an Ub er spanmmgsb 1 ο cki erung 124, which is part of the processing device 104 is. The block 124 serves to reduce the maximum amplitude of the pulse, which can be up to several hundred Volts can be limited to a maximum value, e.g. 10 volts, namely a voltage value that is safe and harmless can be applied to the circuits of the synthesizer 10 without that a breakdown of the circuit can occur. the Blocking 124 sends the blocked pulse to a buffer 126, which in turn sends the pulse to a full-wave rectifier 128, whose function is to convert the pulse from disk 60 into a pulse whose polarity is always positive.

The signal appearing at the output of rectifier 128 is the analog drum signal referred to above became. It consists of a series of analog drum pulses, each of which represents a beat of the drum 40. The waveform IJO shows a typical waveform of the analog drum signal when the drum is hit four times. The amplitude each of the four analog drum impulses in the waveform is proportional to the corresponding impact force required to generate it of each impulse is used.

BATH ORIGINAL

■ ro «- · i-rv«

COPY

The analog drum signal from rectifier 128 becomes a Abandoned summing junction 132, the output of which is connected to a line 134-. The line 134, in turn, is in parts the processing device 104 and waveform shaping circuits 108 connected, which are used to generate a waveform, which depends on a beat of the first tam-tam drum of each of the analog pulses appearing in waveform I30.

The analog drum signal from rectifier 128 is also fed to an adjustment input terminal of a drum lock (or flip-flop). 136 supplied. A control input terminal of the lock I36 is connected to receive a signal appearing on a read / write line 137 from a memory and output control section 14-0 of the central processing device 100 is provided. There is a reset of the z-input at the end of the lock I36 further switched to receive a reset signal from the control section 140 of the central processing device 100. An output port of the barrier 136 is connected to both an input port a buffer 138 as well as a bidirectional data line 139 from the control section 140. An output port of buffer 138 is connected to an input terminal of the summing junction 132 placed. The read / write line 137 is with the control (switch-on) connection of the lock 136 as well as with eini Shutdown input terminal of buffer 138 connected. The function of the lock I36 and the buffer 138 are detailed below explained.

The signal processing device 104 has a total of four circuits which are each equivalent to the part of the circuit according to FIG. 5, which comprises the elements 60, 124, 126, 128, 132, 136 and 138. Each of these four circuits used to generate the signals from the corresponding W _a ndlern in each of the drums 40-46 to be processed in the manner described above for the transducer 60 in the drum 40th The parts of the four circuits comprising the lock 136 and buffer 138 are each connected to the memory and output control section 140 of the central processing device 100 in the same way.

like the lock 136 and the pouf 158 after. Jig. % _ Output signals from the Summierknotenpunktteil of each of the four circuits to be abandoned separated parts of the Verarbeitungsvorriehtung 104 and waveform circuits 108, so that the waveforms are generated, the tones of each of the four drums 40 - represent 46th

Bhythmus signal he testimony; - .-. ■. '"

The way of working according to the circuit. Fig * 5 is when bridging the Keys 20-22 (which represents the bhythms of the first tam-tam drum) the following. The central processing device 100 has a timing control section 142 that acts on the keys 35 and 36 are responsive to the clock pulses at the clock speed to generate in the manner described above. These clock pulses are sent to the memory and output control section 140 of the device 100 abandoned and used to make the! Functions of this section to be timed.

The drum control keys 20-31 and the accent key 38 are marked with connected to the control section 140 of the device 100. The state of each of these keys is controlled by the control section 140 read (or queried) with the clock speed.

When one of the buttons 20 - Jl is pressed (or closed), while they are interrogated, the control circuit 140 generates a corresponding rhythm signal «

Each rhythm signal consists of a series of pulses, where each pulse is synchronized with the clock pulse and the sound of a single beat of the corresponding percussion instrument corresponds to «, The speed with which this rhythm pulse is generated depends on which of the keys 20 - 31 has been printed. Pressing button 20 for example. wise results in a first tam-tam rhythm signal, which is a series of evenly spaced rhythm impulses with one speed which has the slow speed of the first

Tam-tam drum equivalent; key 21 gives medium speed pulses and key 22 high speed pulses. Since the slow speed corresponds to two beats for each bass drum beat, the rhythm signal, which corresponds to the slow speed, consists of one rhythm pulse for every eighth beat. Similarly, pressing more than one of buttons 20-22 at the same time generates rhythm signal pulses corresponding to the "rock", "waltz ^{" 11} "off-beat" and "mixed" rhythm patterns. These four predetermined rhythm patterns become stored in the ROM memory portion of the device 100 and transferred to a portion of the RAM memory 106 during operation of the synthesizer so that they are available for access by the device 100.

The rhythm pulses of the first tam-tam drum are combined with the analog drum pulses transmitted by the drum 40 can be produced in the following way »According to Pig. 5 gives the memory and Output control 14-0 a write signal for each clock pulse

on line 137, whereby the drum lock 136 ineffective and the buffer 138 takes effect. At the same time there is the output control 140 applies the rhythm signal to the input terminal of buffer 138 using data line 139. Buffer I38 in turn gives the rhythm signal to summing junction I32, where it combines with the analog drum signal on line 134 will. Waveform 146 shows an image of the first tam-tam rhythm pulses emitted by device 100 as a function of the Pressing the buttons 20-22 are generated.

The rhythm pulses are synchronized with the clock pulses and are all generated with a fixed amplitude. As in the case of the Analog drum impulses are every rhythm impulse over the line

134 given to parts of the synthesizer circuitry, the one Waveform generates a beat of the first tam-tam drum as a function of each of those appearing in waveform 146 Represents impulses.

'Jl "'

The above description of the generation of the first Tam «Tam-Khvthmus signal applies accordingly to the generation of the error signals the zymbalon, the snarling drum and the second tan tam drum in a corresponding manner.

The device 100 also provides an accent signal on the line 148 in the form of an accent pulse which is generated when the accent key 38 is interrogated and determined to be pressed. the Device 100 is also a bass drum signal on line 150 in the form of a bass drum pulse, which with a Speed of one bass drum pulse per every sixteen clock pulses is generated.

Signal recording and playback

In addition to generating the analog drum and rhythm signals the circuit of FIG. 5 performs the following functions off, if the synthesizer 10 is working in the recording mode. If the recording function is activated by pressing the keys 33 »23, 24 and 25 is initiated in the manner described above is generated the device 100 provides a digital drum pulse which is, in principle, a digitized version of the analog drum pulse.

Mach Fig. 5, the signal appearing on line 137, normally set to a level by the controller 140, which makes the lock 136 effective so that a response to signals that occur at the set input is reached. Thus, if an analog drum pulse at the output terminal of the rectifier 128 occurs, this pulse acts in such a way that it clears the lock 136 sets in a first output voltage state »The same signal level on line 137, which activates the lock 136, acts to deactivate the buffer 138. Is the Buffer 138 ineffective, no signals are applied to its output port. Thus when the lock 136 is in the first output voltage state switches, the signal appearing at the output terminal of the barrier 136 does not result in a corresponding signal at the output terminal of buffer 138.

-? * ■ "sz.

Since each clock pulse is controlled by the timing control 142 (tempo control is generated, the controller 140 reads (or queries) the output state of the lock 136 by the voltage level applied to the data line 139 occurs, aty. ,. After the lock 136 is read has been, it is set to a second output voltage state reset. The signal appearing on line 137 is then switched to a write level which makes the lock 136 ineffective and makes the buffer 138 effective. This condition enables the controller 140 to provide data on line 139 sent by

from buffer 138 to summing node 132.

. If it is determined that the lock 136 is set to the first initial state when interrogated, generates the Controller 140 provides a digital drum signal in the form of a fixed amplitude pulse. Each of these digital drum pulses corresponds one of the impulses of the analog drum signal, with the exception that the digital drum impulses are automatically adjusted to the clock speed by the action of the latch I36 and the controller 140 be synchronized.

With each clock pulse, the controller 140 acts both to generate the digital drum pulse as a function of the initial state of the lock 136 and to generate the rhythm pulse as a function of the state of the respective keys 20-3I i ^{a in} the manner described above. When the controller 140 has generated either a digital drum pulse or a rhythm pulse, the controller 140 acts to generate a pulse of a beat signal and attempts to store this pulse in the BAM memory 106. The digital drum pulse and the rhythm pulse are combined in that these pulses are digitally ORed with one another so that the beat pulse is formed.

The memory locations of the RAM memory 106 would be addressed in a register track with the clock speed. The controller 140 stores the beat pulse in the saliva being addressed space, if this memory space does not already have a beat pulse contains. This memory function is carried out every time

when the memory loop is repeated. While this memory function is being performed by device 100, will continue the rhythm signal on line 139, buffer 138 and the Summing node 132 put on line 134.

After the controller 104 completes the first loop via the appropriate Storage locations of the RAM memory 106 has closed, it / n acts in such a way that the stored beat signal with the The rhythm signal is combined to form a composite beat signal that has composite beat pulses, which represent the previously stored beat pulses together with the rhythm pulses from which the keys 20 - 31 users can be initiated. Whenever the controller 140 continues to ventilate the memory, additional To save clock pulse pulses. The stored beat pulses and the rhythm pulses are combined by combining these pulses with each other at each clock pulse to form of the composite pulse operated digitally in OR * Y operation will. The composite beat signal generated in this manner is presented to summing node 132 in place of the Shythmus signal supplied by the data line 139 and the Buffer 138 can be used to achieve the rhythm signal. When the synthesizer 10 performs the recording function, Waveform 146 represents that of the composite beat signal.

The playback puncture of the synthesizer 10 is initiated by that the buttons 34, 23, 24 and 25 in the manner described above to be printed. The circuit works in playback mode Fig. 5 in the same way as described for the recording operation, with the exception that no additional beat pulses to be stored in the EAH memory 106 «The compound Signal generated during playback operation represents the previously stored beat signal together with the rhythm signal that is being initiated by the user.

The above description gives the operations of the synthesizer 10 when recording and playing back the various signals that are representative of the tones of a single percussion instrument, e.g. the first tam-tam drum. The signals for the tones of the cymbalons, the sciarr drum and the second tam-tam drum are representative, are recorded simultaneously with and! ^ the same way as the first tam-tam drum and reproduced. Separate memory locations are provided in the RAM memory 106 in order to obtain four memory loops at the same time, each of which is used to track the beat signal of a corresponding one to save the musical instruments.

Furthermore, memory locations are provided in the RAM memory 106 in order to form a memory loop for storing the accent signal. As described above, the accent signal has the 3? Orm of Accent pulses that depend on the actuation of the accent feature can be generated by pressing the button 58 or the foot pedal. The accent pulses thus generated both appear line 148 and are recorded in the appropriate memory locations. The accent impulses are recorded in the same way to record the beat pulses as described above. Thus, the accent pulse is only stored in the addressed memory location, if not already an accent pulse is stored in this memory location. At the end of the first loop through the accent slots, that's on the line 148 appearing accent signal is a composite accent signal, both the stored accent pulses and the accent pulses which are being generated by the button 38 and the foot pedal.

It is not necessary to have the bass drum signal that set the bass drum beat ^ represents to store as the bass drum signal only from .one pulse for every 16 clock pulses consists.

Percussion waveform generator ffiinff;

Fig. 6 is a block diagram of the parts of the signal processing apparatus ICW and waveform shaping circuits 108, the are used to generate the various waveforms that make up the tones simulate the corresponding percussion instruments.

• According to Fig. 5, the Tam-Tam-l signal occurs on line 1J4, the accent signal on line 148 and the bass drum signal on line 150. All of these signals are used as inputs corresponding parts of the signal processing device 104 and applied to the waveform shaping circuits 108 of FIG. Additionally the circuit according to FIG. 6 a zymbalon signal, a snarling drum signal and a Tam-Tam-2 signal given »As described above, the Zymbalon, Snarling Drum and Tam-Tam-2 Signals are generated in the same way as the Tam-Tam-1 signal appearing on line 134 of FIG.

The zymbalone signal becomes an input terminal of an envelope generator 160, the chatter signal to an input connection of an envelope generator 162, the Tam-Tam-1 signal to an input connection an envelope generator 164, the Tam-Tam-2 signal to an input terminal of an envelope generator 166, and the bass drum signal to one Input connection of an envelope generator 168 The accent signal is applied to a control connection of the generator 160.

The envelope generators 160-168 are each designed so that they an exponentially decreasing waveform as a function of occurrence of each pulse appearing on the corresponding input terminals. Waveform 170 shows a typical waveform generated by generator 160 in response to a pulse from the zymbalone signal. Any exponential text form represents the amplitude envelope of a single beat of the corresponding percussion instrument. The amplitude of any exponential waveform so generated is proportional to the amplitude of the pulse that initiated the waveform Has. The amplitude of the expotential waveform in turn

"determines the amplitude of the percussion beat tone that is generated by the synthesizer 10 is generated. The duration of the exponential waveform is controlled by the appropriate waveform generator and is independent of the duration of the pulse appearing at the generator input connection.

From Fig. 5 it follows that the Tam-Tam-1 signal from analog Drum pulses from the analog drum signal (waveform IJO) is composed, which is dependent on the amplitude change how hard the drum is struck. The Tam-Tam-1 Signal is also composed of digital pulses generated by device 100 and fixed amplitudes own. Accordingly, the waveform generator 164 in Fig. 6 generates exponential waveforms in response to pulses the analog drum signal, which is proportional in amplitude to change how hard the drum 40 is struck. The generator 164 also generates potential waveforms in dependence of the digital pulses generated by device 100 which are all of the same amplitude.

According to Fig.6, the percussion waveform that sets the beat of the zymbalons, achieved in the following way. the exponentially decaying waveform from generator 160 applied as an input signal to a first input at the end of a modulator 172. An output signal from a noise source I74 is connected to a second input terminal of the modulator 174 given. The modulator 174 acts to do this Signal from the noise source 174 through the signal from the generator 160 modulated in amplitude. The resulting modulated signal, which has a waveform 176, is passed through a high pass filter I78 is applied to an input terminal of a summing node 180. The signal appearing on an output terminal of the node 180 occurs is applied as a right channel sound signal to an input terminal of the stereo amplifier 110 (Jig. 4).

The time constant of waveform I70 is chosen so that the Zymbal-lon waveform produces a sound that is the beat of a Zymbalons simulated. The accent signal, which is fed to the control terminal of the generator 160, acts in such a way that the Time constant of waveform 17O is changed to reflect the fall of the zymbalon tones generated in this way. The time constant of the generator 160 is thus dependent on each pulse of the accent signal changed.

The percussion waveform that sets the beat of the snarling drum is generated in the following manner. The generator 162 produces an exponentially decaying waveform, which is applied to a first input terminal of a modulator 182. The output from the noise source 174- becomes a second input terminal of the modulator 182 is supplied. The modulator 182 acts in such a way that the signal from the noise source 174 by the signal from the generator 182 in amplitude is modulated. The resulting modulated signal is applied to a first terminal of a summing junction 184.

The signal from generator 162 is passed through a high pass filter abandoned a second input of the node 184. The signal, which occurs at an output terminal of the khoten point 184, has a waveform generating a tone simulating the beat of a snarling drum and is applied to an input terminal of a summing junction 188. The signal, that occurs at an output terminal of the node 188 is sent as the audio signal of the left channel to a second input terminal of the stereo amplifier 110 is supplied.

The percussion waveform that set the beat of the first camouflage tam drum represents is generated in the following manner. The exponential waveform from generator 164 is fed to a

fines

with triangular voltage controlled oscillator (VCO)

190 laid. The VCO I90 is designed to have a triangle waveform 192 with a frequency proportional to the amplitude of the Exponential xirellar form generated by generator 164

is formed. The tone control 112 acts to adjust the frequency range of the VCO 190, which in turn adjusts the Pitch of the first tam-tam drum over a range of 5 octaves adjusts.

The waveform 192 is applied to an input terminal of a voltage controlled amplifier (VCA) 194, and the exponential waveform from the generator 164 a control connection of the VCA 194-, The VCA 194 acts to change the amplitude of the waveform 192 is varied in proportion to the amplitude of the exponential waveform, resulting in waveform 196. This waveform 196 is applied to a first input terminal of a summing junction 198 and the exponential waveform from the Generator 162 through a high-pass filter 200 to a second input terminal of the node 198. The signal which is present at an output terminal of node 198 occurs has a waveform that produces a tone that is the beat of the first tam-tam drum simulated, and becomes an input terminal of the summing junction 188 supplied.

The percussion waveform that sets the beat of the second tam-tam drum is generated in a manner similar to that of the first tam-tam drum. The exponential waveform the generator 166 is given a corresponding control connection of both a triangular VCO 202 and a VCA 204-, whose mode of operation is similar to the VCO 190 - and the VCA 194-.

An output terminal of the VCO 202 is connected to an input terminal of the VCA 204-; an output on the VCA 204- is on a first connection of a summing junction point 206 is placed. The exponential waveform from generator 166 is fed through a high

at
pass filter 208 given a second input at the connection of the node 206. The signal appearing at an output terminal of node 206 has a waveform that generates a tone that simulates the beat of the second tam-tam drum and is applied to an input at the end of summing point 180.

The percussion waveform that sets the beat of the bass drum is generated as follows. The exponential waveform from the generator 168 is fed via a high-pass filter 210 to a Input terminal of both summing junction 180 and des Summing node 188 placed. The signal appearing on an output port of filter 210 has a waveform that produces a tone that simulates the beat of the bass drum. .

From the above description of the generation of the various percussion waveforms it can be seen that the waveforms which represent the tones of the first tam-tam drum and the snarling drum, the left channel of amplifier 110, form the waves which represent the Tones of the second tam-tam-troinmel and the zymbalons represent the right channel of the amplifier 110 _s and the waveforms representing the tone of the bass drum are given to both the left and right channels of the amplifier 110. This configuration was chosen so that the direction of the tones obtained when the amplifier 110 is connected to a stereo sound system simulates the direction of the tones obtained by a conventional drum set.

Figures 7 to 10, which are attached to the figures different in & en are connected to each other, represent a flowchart of a program for controlling the central Processing device 100 to perform the desired percussion synthesis in the preferred embodiment of the present invention to obtain.

The program is at level 250 in lig. 7, where it is determined whether the stop key 52 is pressed "If the stop key is pressed, the program continues at step 255 to turn off the playback and recording operations and proceeds to step 280" If it is determined at step 250 that the Stop button has not been pressed, the program goes to step 260 and determines whether playback has been initiated by the

Button 34 · or one of the memory buttons 23-25 has been pressed. If the playback mode has been initiated, the program proceeds at step 265 to set the playback mode so that the appropriate Memory is selected and the LED corresponding to the respective memory is lit up. The program goes then over to level 280. If at step 260 it is determined that playback has not been initiated, the program exits to step 270 to determine whether the recording mode should be stopped by pressing the button 33 and one of the memory buttons 23-25 has been initiated. When the recording mode has been initiated, the program proceeds to step 275 to set the recording mode so that the appropriate memory is selected and deleted, and the IiED corresponding to the respective memory, is made to light up. The program then goes to level 280

The program determines at step 280 whether either the slower one Key 35 or the faster key 36 has been pressed individually is. When one of the keys has been pressed, the program exits at level 280 to slow down or speed up the clock speed. The program then goes to step 330 of FIG. If it is determined at step 280 that keys 35 and 36 have not been pressed individually, the program goes to step 290, to see if both buttons 35 and 36 are printed at the same time indicating that the user desires a tempo to be introduced. If so, the program goes at level 3OO to set the speed of the successive tempo impulses, which depend on the simultaneous Pressing the buttons 35 and 36 are generated. As above explained, the user can also use these tempo pulses insert a foot pedal.

The program then goes to level 3IO to determine whether the current pace pulse is the last pace pulse. The last tempo pulse is determined by the fact that a prescribed time interval, e.g. half a second after the current tempo pulse has been introduced. If no new tempo impulse is introduced during this interval is assumed

that the current pace pulse is the last pulse introduced. If so, the program proceeds to step 320 to order set the clock speed to the speed at which the last two tempo impulses occurred. «The program then goes to step 330 of Fig. 8. If it is determined at 310 that If the current pace pulse is not the last pace pulse, the program returns to step 300 to determine the speed of the successive To set tempo impulses »

The program determines at step 330 of the lig »8 whether one or more the drum buttons 20 - 31 have been pressed. If no Button has been pressed, the program goes to level 3 ^ 0. if one or more keys have been pressed, the program goes to step 335j in order to store in memory the event signals which represent the appropriate key closings, and leave then at step 340 where it is determined whether the accent key has been pressed has been.

If the key 38 (or the corresponding accented foot pedal). pressed the program enters the memory at level 3 ^ 5 5 um To save process signal that the closing of the: accent key represents. The program goes either τοη level 3 ^ 0 or level 345 at level 35O, where it is determined whether the bass drum key 37 is pressed. If this key has not been pressed, the program goes to level 360. If this button has been pressed, the program goes to level 355, so that the bass drum operation is reversed «. The button 37 acts as a rocker arm to the bass drum sound depending on the subsequent pressing of the button 37 on and off. Then the program goes to level 360, to determine whether a clock pulse has occurred. When this clock pulse did not occur, the program returns to the beginning of the Program back to step 250 according to FIG. 7 and repeats the preceding stages until it is determined at stage 360 that a clock pulse has occurred.

If a clock pulse has occurred, the program proceeds from step 560 to step 365 to determine whether this is the sixteenth clock pulse since the bass drum pulse was last generated. If so, the routine goes to steps 370 and 375 to obtain a bass drum pulse and light the bass drum EED 56. The program goes either from step 365 or step 375 to step 380, in which keys 20-31 and 38 are queried. These keys are interrogated by interrogating the memory locations that were used to store the Yorgangssignale in stages 335 and ¹¹ ^ 345.

The program goes to step 385 to get the appropriate rhythm impulses and to control accent pulses depending on the state of the corresponding keys * The program then continues Step 390 in Fig. 9 where it is determined whether the recording mode is set. The recording operation is carried out by the Step 275 according to FIG. 7 is set. If the recording mode is not discontinued, the routine goes to step 460 Fig, 10.

If the recording mode is set, the program opens Step 395 to find the next storage space in the parts of the designated Address memory that is used to store the beat and accent pulses. The program runs then proceed to interrogate and reset each of the four drum locks, e.g., the first tam-tam drum lock 136 of FIG. That The program then goes to step 405 to generate a digital drum pulse when the initial state of the appropriate drum lock is set to the first initial state. Then it works Program at level 410 so that the corresponding digital drum pulse is combined with the corresponding rhythm pulse to generate the clock pulse for each of the four corresponding percussion instruments. As explained above, the clock pulse is generated in that the digital drum and rhythm pulses are digitally linked by an OR circuit. if

either the digital drum pulse or the rhythm pulse (or both) are generated, a beat pulse is generated «,

The program goes to step 410 to determine if there is a beat pulse is already available in the addressed memory location »If this is the case, the program goes to level 425. If this is not the case

if so, the program proceeds to step 420 to store the beat pulse (provided one has been generated) in the addressed memory location. The program then goes to step 4251 to determine whether an accent pulse is already present in the addressed accent memory location. If this is the case, the program goes to step 455 according to FIG. If this is not the case ₉ , the program goes to stage 450 in order to store the accent pulse (provided that one has been generated) in the addressed accent storage location and then goes to stage 455 according to FIG.

The program at step 455 determines whether there is a memory loop has been closed because the recording operation has ceased. If this is not the case, the program goes to level 440 so that the rhythm and accent pulses are sent to the percussion waveform generation circuitry 6 and then goes to step 480. At step 455 it is determined that a memory loop has been closed, the program then goes to step 445 to keep track of the stored beat pulses to combine the rhythm pulses and to form the composite beat pulses «, - As explained above, is this combination of signals is achieved by digital QDES linking of the stored beat pulses with the rhythm pulses. Thus, if either the stored beat pulse or the rhythm pulse (or both) are generated, the composite beat pulse is achieved.

The program then goes to step 45®, ¹ ^ & ^en · accent pulse (provided that one has been generated) with the stored accent pulse to form the composite accent pulse

BATH ORIGINAL

to combine. The accent pulse is digitally ORed together with the stored accent pulse so that the composite accent pulse is obtained. The program goes to level 4-55 ϊ to send the composite beat and the composite accent pulses to the Pig waveform generation circuitry. To give 7, and then proceeds to step 480 for sale.

If it was determined at step 390 of Fig. 9 that the recording mode has not been discontinued, the routine exits at level 4-60 the Pig. 10 to determine whether the playback mode has been set * Playback mode is at level 265 according to Pig. 7 set. When the playback operation has not been set, the program goes to step 480. If the playback mode has been set, the program goes at level 465> to address the next memory location and the stored beat pulses with the rhythm pulses in to combine a digital OR operation so that the composite Beat pulses are formed. The program then goes to level 4-70 to match the accent pulse with the stored one Ar-kzentimpuls in a digital OR operation to combine with it the compound accent impulse is formed. Then goes the program at level 4-75 »so that the compound beats and the composite accent pulses to the Pig waveform generation circuitry. 6 are given and goes then at level 430.

At step 480 the program reveals that the appropriate drum EED diodes 48 - 54 depending on the corresponding generated Beat tones light up. Then the program goes to level 485 » to determine whether the currently addressed memory location is the first Storage loop space is. If this is the pail, go the program at level 4-90 and brings all LED diodes 48 - 56 to Light up. The program then goes from either step 485 or from level 4-90 to the beginning of the program at level 250 after Pig. 7 ·

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Claims (1)

Claims; Ι »Electronic percussion synthesizer, characterized by a plurality of pressure transducer devices each targeting one externally applied impact force to generate an output pulse responds, which is a beat of a musical instrument represents, where the pulse amplitude is proportional to the size the strength is a fastening device for fastening each of the pressure transducer devices on a housing with an isolating device for mechanically isolating each transducer device from each other all other transducer devices, so that the force exerted on a transducer device does not "cause in the other converter devices a_. Output pulse is generated 5 a waveform generating device responsive to the output pulse responds to a waveform with a duration independent of the Duration of the pulse and with an amplitude proportional to the amplitude of the momentum, and a tone generating device responsive to the waveform, to generate a sound signal comprising the beat of the musical instrument. 2 »Electronic percussion synthesizer according to claim 1, characterized characterized in that the pressure transducer device comprises a piezoelectric ceramic element and that the fastening device has a device for absorbing part of the impact force in order to avoid damage to the ceramic element during Applying too much force prevents » 3. Electronic music synthesizer, characterized by a Input device with a device for generating an analog signal in the form of analog pulses, each of which has a clock pulse of a musical instrument 32477 ". a locking device responsive to the input device, a latching in a first state as a function of To achieve the occurrence of the aaalog pulse, a digital storage device with a memory with sequential addressable storage locations, a speed control device for achieving a speed t with which the memory locations are addressed, | a calculator responsive to the speed control device and the lock 1 | device responds and the one device for querying the f Locking device with the one selected by the speed control device Speed, a device for sequentially addressing the memory locations in a revolving loop with the speed predetermined by the speed control device., a device for generating a digital drum pulse, when the locking device assumes the first state when interrogated , a device for storing the generated digital Drum pulse in the addressed memory location, if the memory location does not already contain the digital drum pulse, and; a device for resetting the locking device in a has second state after polling, and a sound signaling device that acts on the input device and responds to the e-computer to generate a sound signal, which includes the beat of the musical instrument when the analog pulse is generated or when the addressed memory location the digital drum pulse contains - ' 4- * Electronic percussion system according to claim 3, characterized in that the input device has a pressure transducer which responds to an external impact force for generating the analog pulse. ^ / ^: 5. Electronic percussion synthesizer according to claim 4, dstdurcl characterized that the amplitude of the analog pulse is proportional the size of the impact force, and that the sound signal, that through the toner generation device is generated depending on the input device, an afflitude proportional to the? amplitude of the analog pulse. ;:: ^ -;. ; .C ■: / ;;; ■ 6. Electronic music recorder * getemzeJEö & net by means of an input device with a device for selecting a rhythm pattern which represents the rhythm theme of a musical instrument,,, ■ a digital memory device with a memory with partially addressable memory locations, Y _: a tempo control device for achieving a gypsum speed, with the die.Speicherstellen are addressed, a computer that responds to the speed control device and .die "input device and a device for querying the input device with the speed given by the temp control device, a device for sequentially addressing the memory locations in a revolving loop with the through the tempo control device predetermined _speed; ■ -.- '.., ■■■■' ■ / ... '■■, ■■■ .- ■ ■ - .;... a device for generating a rhythm impulse comprising Rhythm signal, if a rhythm scheme has been selected when querying the input device, the determination about when such a rhythm impulse is generated, a function of the selected rhythm scheme, as well as a device for Storage of the generated rhythm impulse in the addressed Storage space if that storage space does not already have the rhythm pulse contains, has, and a sound signal generating device that responds to the computer, to generate a sound signal that corresponds to the beat of the Musical instrument includes when the rhythm pulse is generated or when the addressed memory location contains the rhythm pulse. 7 Electronic music synthesizer according to claim 3 or € * with a speed control device to achieve a speed, characterized by a tempo input device for generating tempo pulses each time the tempo input device is operated, a timing device operating on the tempo input device is responsive to determine the frequency of occurrence of successive tempo pulses, and a speed device based on the timing device responds to the speed equal to the frequency of the Set the occurrence of the successive tempo impulses. 8. Electronic music synthesizer according to claim 7, characterized characterized in that the timing device comprises a device for determining the last two tempo pulses generated by the tempo input device, and that the speed device has a device for adjusting the speed equal to the frequency of occurrence of these last two tempo pulses. 9. Electronic music synthesizer according to claim 3 or 6, characterized in that the digital storage device comprises multiple memories, each of which is sequentially addressable Has memory locations, and that the device for sequentially addressing j-each of the memory locations has a selection device which selects which of the multiple memories is to be addressed. 10. Electronic music synthesizer according to claim 3 or 6, characterized in that the input device further comprises a device for introducing a second input signal, which represents an accent of the beat of the musical instrument, a second locking device is provided, which on the second input device responds to them in the first state in dependence on the occurrence of the second input signal lock, the digital storage device has a second memory, the sequentially addressable second memory location has, the computing device is also responsive to the second locking device and a device for interrogating the second Locking device with the front by the speed control device given speed, a device for sequentially addressing the second memory locations in a rotating Schle fe with the speed set by the speed control device, a device for generating an accent pulse who the second locking device assumes the first state when the second lock is queried, a device for storing the Accent pulse in the addressed second Spöichorplatz, if
this memory location does not already contain the accent pulse, as well as a device for - "nicksetting the second locking device in the second state after it has been interrogated, and that
the tone signal generating device has a device for changing the slope of the generated tone signal when the accent pulse has been generated or when the addressed second memory location contains the accent pulse.